I have a theory about the supposed increase in autists. The internet is to blame. Not simply because people can look up terms and mis-diagnose themselves (though this is part of it), but rather that the internet has the unfortunate side effect of allowing people to be "terminally online."
When you are doing the vast majority of your communication through text alone, you are missing most of the actual communication you would get in a natural social situation (vocal inflections, emotions)
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As someone who has Asperger's, I know the ins and outs of the struggle with communication. But conversing online does not affect me the same as non-autists, because I was already often missing many of the social cues in regular conversations. So when I am also missing them in text, it makes far less of a difference for me.
Now that I think about it, it is not just "online" communication. Many people rarely use their phones for calls, but rather texting. This has the same effect.
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So if you think that you are autistic because of these factors, you might want to first determine whether you just have social atrophy. And look into other symptoms of autism, as there is a whole lot more, such as hypersensitivity, being obsessive with topics to the point of annoying others, being way too attached to routines. Chances are, your self diagnosis will be incorrect.
And please, talk to people in person more often. Flex those social muscles and see you are no sperg.
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Tangenting here, but I recall someone posting a woman trying to tell someone (a doctor I think) that she is autistic, and her claim was immediately dismissed. I would most likely agree with the doctor there.
And no, women, you don't have OCD, ADHD, or ADD. Too many of you are saying that. If you are joking, then no problem. Just don't think that the being able to be distracted or having regular habits of tidiness makes you have some sort of disorder.
When you are missing most parts of the communication and are doing less in person communication, what you get are a bunch of people who can no longer communicate properly. They sort become like autists, who also struggle with communication. But these people are not autistic, but rather have social atrophy. It is like someone who never goes to the gym and is a beanpole as a result thinking they have muscular dystrophy when in reality, they are just not using their muscles when they could be.
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